A Pension File in the latest Family Tree First post

In my latest post at Family Tree Firsts I talk about my 4th great-grandfather, Charles Combs, and his War of 1812 Pension file.  Fitting isn't it?  You can read the post here.

I did find an interesting discrepancy in the NARA files and books/listings elsewhere of the North Carolina Regiments.  In the pension file the government stated that Charles was a member of the 7th Regiment, but when I went looking I was unable to find him on this listing of members of North Carolina Regiments.  However, he was listed under the 8th Regiment 1st Company.  Which, just happened to be from Surry County, was where he lived.  You can read it in this book on page 50.  You will see that there were several more McCraws listed in the unit he served under!  More possibilities for the person he named his son after.

If you are looking into information for men from North Carolina who may have served in the War of 1812, the North Carolina Archives has a finding aid you should read.  It gives you historical details, what you can find at the archives, and even a section on holdings that would be important for genealogists.